Chapter 5: The Hardest Goodbye

"Hello?" Hermione heard a familiar voice call out, and Snape jerked to his feet, his wand drawn in the blink of an eye. His reflexes were astounding and Hermione wondered if she was ever as quick as him or if it had taken years and years of constantly being on his guard for an attack

"Dad?" Hermione called back, "We're in the kitchen."

"Hermione?" Her mother's voice called, sounding hopeful.

"It's me Mum," she said, grinning and waving at Snape to sit back down and finish his food.

"My little girl's home!" Her mother cried happily, practically bounding in the room with much more spryness than any woman in her fifties has a right to still possess. "Oh, hello. You've got company."

Monica Granger smiled warmly at Snape even though Hermione could see the way her mother's gaze took in his scowl and his dark appearance before she glanced at Hermione with an expression of mild concern.

"This is Professor Snape," Hermione introduced him to her parents, "Professor, these are my parents, Monica and Wendell Granger."

He made no move to greet them, but he did scowl a little less so Hermione assumed it was the best they were going to get.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Professor Snape, I'm sure," Monica greeted him with a welcoming smile, "Now, what are you doing here sweetheart?"

"Not that we don't look forward to seeing you," Her father interrupted, "But it's a surprise to see you here tonight. Is everything alright love-bug?"

"Everything's fine Dad, I just needed to get some supplies from here that weren't safe for you to post to me." Hermione smiled, walking into her mother's open arms and hugging her. She hugged her father too, who kissed her cheek.

"Did you skip dinner Sweetheart?" Monica asked, eyeing the plates of food.

"Yes, I wanted to get here at a decent hour so we wouldn't wake you, but you were out. You're out of Pepperoni, Prosciutto and shallots now."

Wendell laughed.

"Did you add them to the shopping list?"

"No. I was too busy eating," Hermione smiled.

"Rascal," Monica told her, "So what's going on Sweetheart, why are you here being escorted by your teacher. You're not in some kind of trouble are you?"

"No, nothing like that," Hermione said, sitting back at the table with Snape. Her father sat down beside the scowling wizard while her mother made hot-chocolate on the stove. "Professor Snape is just escorting me because it's not entirely safe for students with non-magic parents to be travelling alone right now."

"That evil fellow you were telling us about is still on the loose then?" Wendell asked.

"He is. Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster, granted me permission to come home and collect some of my things for school and to see you since I won't be home for Easter…. He wanted me to have the best available person to protect me while I did so."

Snape glanced at her to hear her compliment him and quirked an eyebrow.

"Well it's good to know you're well looked after love-bug," her father said, "So, what is it you teach Mr Snape?"

"Potions," Snape replied, "Though this year I've been given the Defence Against the Dark Arts position."

"That's the one they've had so much trouble keep a consistent teacher for the job isn't it?" Monica asked from the stove.

"It is," Snape said and Hermione bit her lip when she noticed how uncomfortable he looked to be speaking politely.

"Well then I wish you luck Mr Snape. Hermione told us there's a rumour the position is cursed so that no one can hold the job for more than a year. At first I thought she was just being metaphorical, but it seems she meant it literally."

"There is an unfortunate history regarding the longevity of each person holding the job," Snape said evasively.

"And how long have you been a teacher dear?" Monica asked, before adding, "Hot chocolate?"

"Oh erm…"

"Trust me, you want some. Mum makes better hot chocolate than the elves," Hermione told him before he could refused, "Pour him a cup Mum."

"So how long was it you've been teaching?" Monica asked as she carried over the mugs of hot chocolate, setting one in front of Snape before putting one in front of Hermione and pressing a kiss to the top of Hermione's head and sitting beside her.

"This is my fifteenth year," Snape told her.

"Really?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"Surely not," Wendell said, "You're far too young to have been teaching so long."

"I took the position as Potion Master when I was twenty-one," Snape informed them though he seemed to be having a hard time looking at either of Hermione's parents.

"My but that's a young age to begin teaching. You must enjoy your work to have done it for so long. I'm not sure I'd have the patience for all those teenagers. One well-behaved teenager was enough for us," Monica said and Snape smirked at Hermione, who blushed. "What do you think, sweet-heart? Is Professor Snape a good teacher? I feel like we've heard his name before."

Snape watched her now, clearly waiting for her response to such a question and Hermione fought not to roll her eyes.

"You have Mum, I wrote to you about him."

"Wait, Snape?" Wendell said suddenly snapping his fingers, "Aren't you the one who belittles my daughter for helping her friends in class?"

"Dad," Hermione warned but Snape was already scowling.

"I am."

"Doesn't seem right to me. If she's good enough at the class to be able to help others why do you punish her for it?" Wendell asked him, ignoring Hermione's protests.

"Her 'help' results in her doing the work for the other students," Snape replied coldly, "If I had wanted to assess several pieces of the same work performed by your daughter I'd have asked for several pieces. She interferes with the learning of others and enables them to pass rather that allowing them to learn on their own through failure. I punish her for it because it disables their ability to effectively learn when she loses patience with their lack of intelligence and performs the assigned tasks for them."

"Maybe if you didn't terrify Neville and antagonize Harry and Ron I wouldn't have to interfere with their learning," Hermione retorted, glaring at Snape.

"If they don't consistently fail, they will never work harder to pass. Which is why you currently have to deal with Mr Potter and Mr Weasley cheating off you and taking advantage of you rather than having them do the work themselves. It's not your job to teach them."

"No, it's your job and you're utterly ruthless about it. You know Neville is terrified of you, but still every lesson you glare down at him with that expression that makes most first years wet themselves and then you say something nasty implying that he's a complete idiot. And you wonder why he messes things up. If I didn't help him he'd have more accidents in class than Seamus does," Hermione argued with him.

"If you didn't help him he would be forced to make a more focused effort to overcome his fear and achieve the marks required of him," Snape retorted.

"If you weren't so set on inter-house rivalry and so predisposed to hating Gryffindor students, they'd be able to do better because they would be able to focus rather than cowering from you or wanting to hex your face off."

"Those are personal weaknesses they need to overcome, not be coddled for."

"How is that a good teaching strategy? Do you know what it does to a person to receive a failing grade on their homework?"

"I've never failed anything academically, so… No."

"You're supposed to teach them and assist them, not destroy their self-esteem!" Hermione argued heatedly, noticing that her parents were glancing between teacher and student with curious expressions.

"They need to grow more backbone and overcome their weaknesses. I often give you a below perfect grade and you don't dissolve into an explosive rage or a trembling puddle of idiot," He pointed out, a cruel smile playing at the edges of his mouth.

"I have an over-stimulated drive to succeed and accept the challenge of working harder for my grades. Not everyone is like me."

"Again with that inflated sense of self-worth Miss Granger," he clucked his tongue disapprovingly, "It doesn't do to boast about your intellect when you compare your skills academically to a collection of dunderheads."

"It doesn't do for a teacher and grown man to pit his will against several teenage students just because he doesn't like the house they were sorted into during first year," Hermione retorted.

"Sweetheart?" Monica interrupted before Snape could retort, clearly suspecting he was going to say something unkind based on his angry expression, "Do you argue with all of your teachers like this?"

"Of course not," Hermione said, still glaring at Snape, "I only argue with the one I'm friends with."

Snape's scowled deepened at the mention of her mission again and at the idea that she was going to interfere with his life.

"I see," Monica said and Hermione didn't miss the loaded glance her parents shared at the idea of Hermione being friends with Snape. "Well, sweetheart, he is still your teacher, so remember to be respectful. We don't want you getting into trouble."

"Snape won't get me into trouble," Hermione grinned. He glared at her.

"How long are you staying love-bug?" Her father asked, changing the subject, "It seems a little late for you to be out roaming. Doesn't Hogwarts have a curfew?"

"It does," Snape told them, "One you are currently breaking Miss Granger. I suggest you say your goodbyes to your parents so we can be on our way. I'm not writing you a note to explain why you're out of bed after hours."

"Professor Dumbledore will write me one," Hermione grinned at him widely,

"Just the same sweetheart," her mother said, "We love seeing you, but you don't want to get into trouble and it's getting late."

Hermione sighed, looking away from Snape and drinking in the sight of her parents. She wanted to take a photo with them before leaving, one she could keep forever, but she knew it would only cause suspicion from her parents and issues if anyone ever found a copy of the picture in her possession.

"I will wait in the hall for you Miss Granger. Don't be long," Snape said getting to his feet, he began to walk away before stopping and turning back to her parents, "It was nice to meet you…"

Hermione almost snorted at how uncomfortable he looked being so polite and when he turned away and glided out of the room her parents both looked at her questioningly.

"He's not very good at common courtesy," Hermione told them, grinning, "Usually he's much more obnoxious and nasty."

"Oh… does he have some kind of social impairment?" Moncia whispered to her.

"I think so," Hermione replied, "He's incredibly clever, and doesn't really have any friends. He strikes out viciously at people to keep them away because he was bullied as a child."

"Poor thing," Monica sighed, looking guilty for judging him.

"So what are you really here for love-bug?" her father asked her and Hermione looked over at him, raising her eyebrows. He always could tell when she was fibbing.

"I did have to collect a few things. The Order of the Pheonix, the one that fights against the evil wizards, has an assignment for me…. Professor Dumbledore wanted me to gather a few things from here and to have me see you, just in case something happens to me," Hermione admitted.

"You're going to be in danger?" Monica asked her.

"Yes. There's a very real chance that I might never see you again," Hermione told them both seriously, "It's dangerous and complicated, but if we succeed, Voldemort will be vanquished for good, hopefully."

"Well, be careful sweetheart. I have every faith that you'll succeed. You're so clever…. But promise me you'll be alright."

"I promise Mum," Hermione whispered, before biting her lip, "I'd better go… He'll storm back in here and grumble if I take too long."

"He's an abrasive and impatient fellow, isn't he?" Wendell asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes."

"Smart too, though. Maybe even smarter than you love-bug."

"You like him, don't you?" Hermione smiled at her father.

"He's not exactly the handsomest man in the world," Monica smiled at her, "But he's definitely interesting, and I've never met anyone else who can poke holes in your logic sweetheart."

"He's not my boyfriend," Hermione laughed, "He's my teacher. You two are looking at me like I'm seeing him or something."

"Honey, you don't talk to any of you other teachers the way you talk to him. He's prickly and a little awkward; and you're right about that scowl. It certainly would scare children into wetting their pants; but I've never seen you argue with anyone the way you were arguing with him. Maybe there's nothing there. Maybe we're imagining things, but he seems like the type of man you'd need in your life someday sweetheart," her mother told her, smiling softly.

Hermione felt herself begin to blush at the very idea.

"He's twice my age!" Hermione protested to them when both her parents got up and stood in front of her, smiling knowingly.

"He is," her father agreed, "but didn't you tell us that some magical folk can live well past one hundred?"

"Well, yes…." Hermione said.

"Age doesn't matter so much when you live that long, sweetheart. All we're saying is that if there was any predisposition between the two of you, we wouldn't disapprove if you wanted to pursue it."

"You're getting all this from one minor argument?" Hermione demanded, perplexed and blushing.

"One intellectual discussion, actually," Wendell said, "Sorry if we've embarrassed you love-bug. Just telling you how it is from our view-point."

"I'm going to go back to school now," Hermione told them, shaking her head at the very idea of anything romantic ever happening between her and Snape.

"We'll miss you honey. Be safe, and be careful."

"I will…. I'm going to miss both of you," Hermione murmured, feeling her heart squeeze in her chest as she gave them both a hug and a kiss.

"Don't ever forget that we love you sweetheart," Monica told her, lifting her chin and peering into her eyes for a long moment, "And no matter where you end up, know that we'll always love you and that we couldn't be prouder of you if we tried. You're our whole world, and nothing will ever change that."

"I love you both so much," Hermione whispered, a lump forming in her throat.

"You're our everything love-bug," her father said, tucking a stray curl behind her ears, "You go on now. Don't want to keep you teacher waiting. Be good. Be strong."

Hermione nodded, feeling her throat tighten even more and her hands begin to tremble as she fought back tears. Her parents walked with her through the house and to the front door where they found Snape waiting silently, looking bored. He glanced at them when they stopped in front of him.

"Take care of our girl," Wendell said, offering his hand to Snape to shake. Hermione caught the surprised expression on his face and the quick glance he shot at her before shaking her father's hand.

"Bye Mum," Hermione whispered as she opened the door and Snape stepped out into the night, "Bye Dad."

"Goodbye Sweetheart. We love you," Her mother told her, smiling softly as Hermione hesitated on the doorstep. Before she could stop herself, she threw herself into her parent's arms one last time, hugging them so tight that it made her ribs ache. They hugged her just as tightly and when they released her, Hermione stepped out into the darkness to where Snape was standing on the front path.

He watched her with an unfathomable expression for a moment even as Hermione felt a tear escape her eyes and trickle down her cheek. She jumped when he took her hand inside his, and she squeaked in surprise when she felt a tug behind her navel as he apparated them both away.